Power Behind the U.S. Soldiers: How Exoskeletons are Shaping the Future of the U.S. Military

Exosuits Assisting Soldiers
Feasible Alternatives Emerging in the U.S.
Enhancing Soldiers’ Operational Capabilities

No matter how advanced weapons like missiles and lasers conduct warfare, ultimately, it’s the infantry, in other words, people, who transport and operate equipment on the ground, drive out enemies neutralized by weapons, and occupy enemy lines. However, compared to weapons, soldiers are vulnerable to injury and have clear physical limitations. Simply put, machines do not tire, but do humans not tire?

A tool recently produced by the U.S. military to assist soldiers in their duties, the exoskeleton, epitomizes the might of advanced military forces. Today, let’s take a quick look at exoskeleton weaponry.

Gives More Than Human Strength
But More Dangerous if Broken on the Field

There have been various concepts about this equipment, commonly referred to as an exosuit, from the past. Initially, it was perceived as a robot-like design equipped by a human and gradually started to be recognized as equipment that assists human strength. An exosuit has the advantage of allowing a soldier or a field worker to exert more than human strength and speed.

However, like all equipment, especially sophisticated ones, it’s prone to break down in urgent situations, and an exosuit is not only heavy itself, but if any part of the equipment malfunctions, it can have severe effects on life, making it difficult to ignore its risks.

U.S. Developed Exoskeleton, SABRE
Can Be Enhanced Even Without Power

The idea behind the SABRE exoskeleton developed by the U.S. military was inspired by the fact that there are many waist injuries among the entire U.S. military personnel. Most of the weapons and equipment used in the military are heavy, causing many people to injure their backs during work and mission execution, leading to manpower losses. SABRE was introduced to assist with this.

The most prominent feature of SABRE is that it’s a non-powered exoskeleton, so the machine’s power does not assist humans. This equipment is worn on the back, utilizing the elastic elements of the adjustable straps to disperse some of the force from the soldier’s back and spine. This reduces tension in the waist while not interfering with a soldier’s actions when equipped. In an experiment involving 100 U.S. soldiers, 90% felt their work performance improved.

In War, Soldiers Come First

No matter how advanced weapons are introduced in war, the most basic unit that conducts the war is ultimately the soldier. If the convenience, work efficiency, and safety of soldiers are improved, it will result in more effective mission execution and provide a higher possibility of victory. Wouldn’t recognizing and implementing this fact prove the nature of an advanced military?